Abstract

The improvement of agricultural productivity using technology is an important avenue for increasing output and reducing poverty in sub-Saharan countries. However, the low adoption of high yield varieties has been identified as one of the main reasons for low productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, the study examined the effect of demographic, socioeconomic and institutional factors affecting adoption and adoption-intensity of improved wheat varieties (IWVs), using data obtained from randomly selected farm households in the Arsi Highland of Ethiopia. We estimated a Double hurdle model to analyze the determinants of the intensity of IWVs adoption, as adoption and use intensity were two independent decisions influenced by different factors. The results also show that Double hurdle model is more appropriate than the Tobit model. Empirical estimates of the first hurdle reveal that wheat farming experience, distance to cooperatives, renting a tractor and combine harvester, Urea application, and net income from the wheat grain sale all significantly increased the likelihood of IWVs adoption. Estimates of the second hurdle revealed that the decision to use the optimal intensity of IWVs by smallholder farmers was influenced by seed availability, row planting, and distance to cooperative all significantly and positively. The intensity of adoption was also found to be negatively related to the proportion of farmland allotted for wheat production. Accordingly, policies and interventions that are informed about such factors are required to accelerate the adoption and adoption-intensity of IWVs in Ethiopia to realize a wheat Green Revolution and fight food insecurity in a sustainable manner.

摘要

利用技术提高农业生产力是撒哈拉以南国家增加产量和减少贫困​​的重要途径。然而，高产品种的采用率低已被确定为撒哈拉以南非洲生产力低下的主要原因之一。因此，该研究使用从埃塞俄比亚 Arsi 高地随机选择的农户获得的数据，研究了影响采用和采用改良小麦品种 (IWV) 的人口、社会经济和制度因素的影响。我们估计了一个双障碍模型来分析 IWV 采用强度的决定因素，因为采用和使用强度是受不同因素影响的两个独立决策。结果还表明，Double hurdle 模型比Tobit 模型更合适。第一个障碍的实证估计表明，小麦种植经验、与合作社的距离、租用拖拉机和联合收割机、尿素应用以及小麦谷物销售的净收入都显着增加了采用 IWV 的可能性。对第二个障碍的估计表明，小农决定使用 IWV 的最佳强度受到种子可用性、行种植和与合作社距离的显着影响。还发现采用强度与分配给小麦生产的农田比例呈负相关。因此，